Contributed by Jim Regan
TSPLOST is a 1-percent sales tax on everything residents in the 10-county metro Atlanta region purchase to fund regional transportation projects. TSPLOST is expected to generate $8 Billion ($8,000,000,000) in revenue over the next 10 years.
Citizens for Transportation Mobility, the group supporting the Untie Atlanta campaign, tell us the referendum will create 200,000 jobs in Georgia and solve the metro area's traffic congestion problem.
Who is Citizens for Transportation Mobility? It’s really hard to say for certain since they have failed to disclose contributors as required by Georgia law, but media reports have said the $8 million campaign to pass TSPLOST is being funded by private companies which would benefit from contracts relating to road, bridge, and mass-transit projects. Last year, Siemens, who manufactures transit rail systems, ran a radio campaign, touting the advantages of mass transit. Currently Yancey Brothers, a Caterpillar equipment dealership, is sponsoring a website advancing TSPLOST. No doubt asphalt manufacturers, road construction firms, and civil engineering firms are also contributing to this effort.
The Transportation Leadership Coalition’s (TLC) analysis of the TSPLOST projects indicates 52 percent of funds raised by TSPLOST will be spent on mass-transit projects (light-rail, beltway, MARTA), which will only serve 2-3 percent of regional commuters. TLC also points out that TSPLOST will only cover the studies, surveys, initial-design and in some case right-of-way acquisition for many listed projects. Actual project construction will have to wait for another source of funds. Maybe the next round of Federal stimulus money for “shovel ready” projects?
We agree that Atlanta has a traffic congestion problem and would like to see a solution, but spending $4 billion on mass-transit when MARTA reported that train and bus ridership was down in 2011 does not seem wise.
Who is going to pay the ongoing operating costs of these mass-transit systems after they are built? Do the projections call for the mass-transit projects to be self-sustaining or are future government subsidies required? What about the impact of telecommuting on traffic congestion as more companies offer employees this option? Might it be more economical for government to encourage this trend? Could other changes be implemented to alleviate peak rush hour congestion? Might semi-trucks be restricted from area interstates during peak hours as is done in other cities? What about reversible lanes used by many other cities? TSPLOST doesn't address any of these questions and possible solutions.
We don’t have the answers, but $8 billion is a tremendous sum of money for citizens to voluntarily surrender with little oversight and no assurances that Atlanta’s traffic problem will be resolved. Until these questions are addressed our recommendation is to vote against the TSPLOST.
Bottom line, whether you support or oppose the TSPLOST, vote on July 31.
I'm voting NO.
Anytime government or any other entity must justify a project by future jobs to be created I feel certain they are vastly overstating the impact, or just lying to mislead the public.
If we spend 52% of this on mass-transit future TSPOSTs will be dedicated to funding the continued operating expenses which will not be cover by ridership.
No. NO. NO! to TSLPOST
There are stories appearing that tear apart the work and the effort that went into getting the metropolitan Atlanta region to this point around the transportation initiative. Yes, this will create jobs, keep our region competitive and safeguard Atlanta’s position as the leading city in the Southeast. How many jobs doesn't really matter, but you can be certain more than not passing this. It will move Atlanta forward into a new century of progress in the eyes of those living here and in contemplating moving their businesses here! I am confident our voters will continue to educate themselves, and not be misled by deliberately negative stories and go to the polls on July 31 to vote Yes on this.
We’ll use OTHER People’s Money, it WONT cost us anything!!!. Keep repeating this every single week while you buy food for you and yours. And you do you remember that we still some NEW state sales taxes that haven’t taken hold yet right?? – This TSPLOST addition would be above and beyond those too. A “No Brainer”? Absolutely if you have one - VOTE No! Since the ARC already admits the project list as is WON'T change commute times, which was the reason businesses were concerned about to start with...
Now put those same leaders in a room to reach a consensus on how REDUCE current tax levels or CUT fraud FIRST and then you have a REAL signature moment for the region.
I'm all for solving traffic congestion but this TSPLOST plan won't do that regardless of who is paying the bill or how much is spent. The mass-transit projects are not the solution, yet consume 52% of the funds.
If one examines the growth patterns in metropolitan Atlanta it would be apparent to even the casual observer that growth, if any, has become miniscule! Corporations moving into the metropolitan area has slowed to a trickle, some companies are either shrinking or departing the area; unemployment is among the highest in the nation; and population growth has become stagnant. The issue of the quality of our schools is currently being addressed throughout the metropolitan area; the issue of transportation remains to be addressed. Please vote ‘YES’ for the T-Splost…
Now is the time for each of us to invest not only in our future, but in the future of our children as well. If the T-Splost fails to pass on July 31st the future growth of our metropolitan city will be imperiled. The opportunity is at hand to take the necessary steps to see that our future as a city is secure. Please vote ‘YES’ for the T-Splost
In order for the buses to improve traffic, we would each need to abandon our cars and get on the bus. Ridership on buses is going down because it is impractical for the metro area to rely on buses. Think about this. If each county kept all of their T Splost money, they would be free to come up with their own plans to improve the roads and schools in THEIR area. Gwinnett could have that mag-lev train to Athens, St. Simons and beyond. Cobb could have their bullet train to Washington D.C. or whatever they wanted. The current plan places a group of unelected officials in charge of the money. What is in print right now, can change with the next legislative session. There is only one reason why the Secretary of State added "bait" language to the ballot - to manipulate you into voting for a fantasy. If you vote yes to this scam, you have locked up your tax dollars for ten years - there will be no additional projects proposed or implimented, Plus, federal dollars are drying up so in just a couple of years, you'll be hit with another vote to pay to maintain the roads. VOTE "NO" TO T-SLOST
Having seen the FIASCO first-hand of something that was SUPPOSED TO HELP commuters with the Peach Pass on 85, I am decidedly going to vote NO. Prior to the PeachPass being implemented my commute was around 40 minutes. Now with this "NEW" and "IMPROVED" HOTT lane commute, I am not only FORCED to use the HOTT lane (as all other lanes are impassable at 6:00 am) but the HOTT lane is slow too ....PLUS I am paying for my added stress now. If this is an example of what our politicians feel is "progress" then I can tell you with certainty that special interests are at work again. VOTING NO TO THIS ! I strongly encourage you to do the same!
Educate and Please Vote YES....All the planning you need to read about comes from here at this time: http://www.t-splost.com/
As someone pointed out yesterday many of the proposed projects won't even begin for 7 years, other have already been funded by the GADOT. TSPLOST 2012 is just a boondoogle
Of course I'm still waiting for my flying personal transportation unit promised me in 3rd grade science class as demostrated by the Jetsons. If we could only get those then we wouldn't need to waste money on Trains, Trolleys, and Beltways. Roads would probably be lightly used by bicyclists for entertainment and exercise.